Garment seam



March 21, 1939. GOLDSMITH 2,151,381

GARMENT SEAM Filed Jui 1'7, 1934 Patented Mar. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10 Claims.

This invention relates to garment seams.

One object of this invention is to provide an improved seam for garments or other seamed articles made of textile fabrics of a rather delicate or weak texture, wherein a pull on the seam shall not result in separation of the yarns at the sea nor in a ripping of the same.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved seam which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, durable,

reliable, efficient in use, neat and compact in appearance, and an improved method of manufacturing the seam.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated in the annexed drawing, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a plan view showing the first step in the manufacture of the seam.

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the second step of making the scam, the latter embodying the invention.

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the front side of the seam.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the seam taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified seam.

Fig, 6 is a cross sectional view of the seam taken online 66ofFlg. 5.

Fig. 'lis a plan view showing the first step in the making of a seam by a different process.

Fig. 8 is a plan view showing the second step.

Fig.9 isa plan view showing. the third step.

Fig. 10 is a plan view showing the last step andthe seam embodying the invention.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on the line H-H of Fig. 10. a

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realizedwhenall of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and the-same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less than the whole.

Itwillbeobvioustothoseskllledin theart to which the invention appertains, that the same maybe incorporated in several different conatructions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merely as showing the preferred r exempliflcation of the invention. 1

Referring in detail to the drawing, 10 denotes L a seam for garments and the like embodying the to edge abutment and interconnected through single thicknesses of the edge portions at their folds by an ordinary straight line of stitching i3. s An overlapping or zigzag stitching interconnects the said sections, by passing through four layers of the material, including the folded edge portions. Such stitch formation passes perpendicu-= larly along spaced lines through the respective l5 edge portions sufficiently far back of the fold lines to leave adequate intervening fabric in each of the plies to absorb strain imposed on the stitches when the seam is subjected to tension. That is to say, the stitches penetrate the surface 2) beyond the edge extremity and the immediate curved area of the fold. The zigzag stitching extends along and makes binding engagement with both the top and bottom exposed surfaces of the edge portions at the seam, and the stitches 25 extend transversely of the seam from one edge portion. to the other opposite the inner line of stitching 13 at both surfaces so as to distribute strain between the top and bottom plies of the two edge portions. 30

It may be further pointed out that the stitching I! completely encompasses within its confines the fabric back of the edge folds of all plies of both of the oppositely folded edge portions in the area of the inner stitching II, and cooperates with the 35 stitching II to prevent concentration of stresses at the seam in single plies of either edge portion.

To make the scam, the two sections of material are laid over each other, with their edges, straight or pinked, in coincidence as shown at l5. when 0 the seam is used in women's underwear, the edges 16 are usually pinked, but this has been omitted to render the drawing clearer. Then the line of stitching I3 is formed spaced from l6. Next the sections are laid out fiat as shown in Fig. 2, and 45 the edge portions folded fiat away from each other, in which condition the encompassing line of stitching ll is applied. a

It will be noted that the yarn can be as strong as desired, the strength of the seam being determined by that of the fabric. By this invention twice as many layers of the fabrics are caughtin the stitching as heretofore. Further, the stitching acts at longitudinally spaced and transversely offset points of the seam, so that a crossto said line.

strengthen each other.

wise pull on the seam is distributed in such a way as to reduce the tendency to separation of the yarns of the fabric .to the degree where holes result, as in seams heretofore used. The width of the zigzag line of stitching is very small, and may be less than one sixteenth of an inch, and the zigzag angle may be approximately degrees. The different lines of stitching supplement and In general, it may be said that the cross stitching ll passes through the folded edge portions of the sections H and I2 back of the fold lines, the stitching passing through the main and fold plies of the sections at right angles, and preferably along lines equally spaced from the line of stitching l3, that is the points at which the cross stitching passes through a main ply and its fold ply desirably being equidistantfrom the fold lines of the respective edge portions. Hence, a suflicient number of yarns of the fabric in each ply of each edge portion will intervene between the lines of penetration of the stitching l 3 and M in both the main and fold plies to distribute the stress caused by the stitching when a pull is exerted on the seam. However, the lines of penetration of stitching l3 and I4 are in sufllciently close proximity that the number of intervening yarns of the fabric in the several plies will not be so great as to prevent the stitching H from acting in'supplemental reinforcing relation to the stitching l3.

In Figs. 5 and 6 is shown a modification of the invention including a seam which is similar to that shown at It, except that the seam includes a double overlap of the opposing sections I8, I9 thereof. Thus instead of folding along the line of stitching lit, the sections are folded' in spaced relation thereto at one or at opposite sides of said line as shown at 20, 2| before the zigzag line of stitching I4 is formed. In other words, the fold portion l9a of section I9 is folded spaced from line l3, and section I! is folded in spaced relation Then the stitching I4 is applied to the four overlapping layers, producing eight points of engagement of the stitching thread with the fabric at the seam, and encompassing and binding together fabric of both layers of the respective edge portions in the area of the inner line of stitching l3.

In Figs. 7 to 11 is shown a further modification of the invention, in which the fold lines 20, 2| of Fig. 6 are automatically fixed so that the use of the hands or of machine attachments for this Purpose are unnecessary. Hence the pieces of will now be seen that there are two fold llines, the fold line 30 in section 24 and the fold line 3| in section 23 or fold 23a. These fold lines are along and against the opposite edges of the stitching 21. In this condition, a straight, or an overlapping or zigzag line of stitching 32'is formed closely along the fold line 3], and hence in the region of and superimposed on the stitching 21. In cross section the overlapping will appear as in Fig. 11. The stitching 32 may be of the same or-slightly less width than the stitching 21. The Y latter may a hemstitch, as the same is stronger,

although slower in sewing than a zigzag so as to render the same fully inconspicuous.

The resulting seam 33 embodying the invention has a high degree of strength and possesses a degree of elasticity.

The invention can be used regardless whether the seam be along the bias or straight with the weave of one or both fabric sections. Its advantages are especially marked if the fabric be cut straight.

The invention solves one of the most diflicult and perplexing problems in the provision of a suitable strong seam-for womens lingerie of the cheaper kind and made of delicate inexpensive material. It is applicable also to false seams formed in one piece of fabric.

It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications may be made in the device as shown in the drawing, and that the same is submitted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense, the scope of the invention being defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A stitched seam for articles made of a delicate textile fabric, and whereby the formation of openings in the fabric by slippage of the yarns is substantially prevented, including a plurality of woven fabric sections having at their edges main portions and fold portions in abutment with each other along their fold lines, a line of stitch-' ing interconnecting the sections along the fold lines between the main and fold portions, and a cross stitching extending along both surfaces of the seam and passing through the main and fold portions along spacedlines lying spaced back of the fold lines, said cross stitching passing back and forth across the fold lines of these sections at both surfaces of the seam and passing through the main and fold portions of each section at equal distances from the fold line of the section.

2. A stitched seam construction for sections of delicate textile fabric and especially adapted for womens underwear, including a plurality of woven fabric sections having opposing margins respectively folded back upon themselves in opposite directions and constituting complementary plied edge portions, an inner line of stitching extending through and joining single thicknesses of the respective edge portions, and a stitch formation penetrating the several plies of the respective edge portions intermediate the edge folds and the free edges of the turned back ply,

said stitch formation making two closely spaced' lines of penetration with the fabric, and said stitch formation including connecting stitch portions at both exposed surfaces of the seam between the lines of penetration so as to encompass within the confines of the stitch formation fabric of each ply of each edge portion along the inner line of stitching.-

3. A stitched seam construction for sections of delicate textile fabric and especially adapted forwOmens underwear, including a plurality of woven fabric sections having opposing margins respectively turned back upon themselves in opposite directions and constituting complementary folded edge portions, an inner line of stitching extending throughand joining single thicknesses of the respective edgeportions; and a zigzag stitch formation adapted to distribute-stresses between .all the plies of the respective edge portions extending back and 'forth at the opposite exposed surfaces of the seam and penetrating. all

the plies of the respective edge portionsin spaced relation to their foldededges at both surfaces of the seam and encompassing within the formation the areas of the plied edge portions along the inner line of stitching.

4. A stitched seam for articles made of relatively delicate textile fabric, and whereby the formation of openings in the fabric by slippage of yarns under seam tension is substantially prevented, including a plurality of woven fabric sections having at their edge portions fold plies extending away from each other and lying against the main ply of the corresponding edge portion 1 the fold lines of the sections, and also spaced from the line of engagement of the first stitching, with the number of yarns of the plied fabric interposed between the lines of penetration of the first and second mentioned stitchings suiiicient to distribute a stress at the seam between the several plies of each edge portion but not so great as to prevent the holding power of one stitching from supplementing that of the other.

5. A stitched seam for a plurality of sections of delicate textile fabric and especially adapted for womens underwear, whereby the formation of openings in the fabric by slippage of yarns under seam tension is prevented, including a plurality of woven fabric sections having at their edges fold plies extending away from each other and so as to lie against the main plies of the corresponding sections, the fold lines of the edge portions lying in proximity to each other, a line of stitching interconnecting the edge portions along their fold lines, and a cross stitching pasing through and binding the respective fold and main plies of each edgeportion together and to the plies of the other edge portion along lines which at both exposed surfaces of the seam are equally spaced back of the fold lines, said cross stitching passing back and forth at both surfaces seam, substantially flat on its normally exposed surface, comprising at least two sections of fabric,

eaehsectionhavingatrimmedandflatethe' folded against the normally concealed surface of the garment, said folded and trimmed edges lying flat and facing in opposite directions on said sections of fabric and being stitched together by a single line of zigzag stitching passing through the pre-folded edges of the folded sections of fabric.

7. An edge-folded and zigzag stitched seam. substantially flat on its normally exposed surface, comprising at least two sections of fabric, each section having a flat edge folded against the normally concealed surface of the garment, said folded edges lying flat and facing in opposite directions on said sections of fabric and bein stitched together by a single line of zigzag stitching passing through the pre-folded edges of the folded sections of fabric.

8. A stitched garment seam construction for fine textured garment fabric adapted to overcome the tendency of such fabric when under strain to rupture at a seam comprising sections of delicate garment fabric having folded back edge portions, said edge portions extending in opposite directions from their fold-lines and each lying flat against its section on the normally concealed side thereof, and a zigzag stitch formation passing through the folded fabric plies along closely spaced parallel stitching lines located slightly back of the fold lines at both faces of the seam and remote from the extremities of the folded back edge portions.

9- A stitched garment seam comprising adjoining fabric garment sections having edge portions provided with non-raveling pinked edges, each edge portion being folded back and lying flat against its section on the normally concealed surface of the fabric with the pinked edge relatively remote from the fold line, and a zigzag stitch for- -mation binding the sections together in a substantially flat seam, said stitch formation piercin the fabric of the sections and their folded back edge portions along closely spaced parallel stitching lines located slightly beyond the edge folds.

10. A stitched garment seam construction comprising delicate garment fabric sections having folded back edge portions and disposed with their fold lines in abutting relation, the edge portions extending in opposite directions from the fold lines and each lying flat against its section on the normally concealed side thereof, and a zigzag stitch formation passing through the combined thickness of each section and its folded edge portion remote from the extremities of the edge portion, the several stitching lines being narrowly spaced from each other and disposed slightly back of the fold lines.

- ROBERT GOLDSMITH. 

